Laura Blumenfeld's father was shot in Jerusalem in 1986 by a member of a rebel faction of the PLO responsible for attacks on several tourists. Her father survived, but Blumenfeld's desire for revenge haunted her. This is her story -- and a fascinating study of the mechanics and psychology of vengeance.
While plotting to infiltrate her father's shooter's life, Blumenfeld travels the globe gathering stories of other avengers. Through interviews with Yitzhak Rabin's assassin; members of the Albanian Blood Feud Committee; the chief of the Iranian judiciary; the mayor of Palermo, Sicily; the Israeli prime minister; priests; sports fans; fifth-grade girls; prostitutes; and more, she explores the dynamics of hate -- and the fine line that sometimes separates it from love.
Ultimately, Blumenfeld's target is more complex than the stereotypical terrorist she'd long imagined. In a surprising twist, she gets revenge, but not according to traditional expectations. She discovers a third way, a choice beyond "turn the other cheek" or "an eye for an eye." And with it she answers the age-old question: what is the best revenge?
In 1986, a Palestinian terrorist shot author Laura Blumenfeld's father. More than a decade later, Blumenfeld, a reporter for The Washington Post, decided to find the man who tried to kill her dad; she also wanted to learn about vengeance. "I was looking for the shooter, but I also was looking for some kind of wisdom," she writes. "I wanted to master revenge." Blumenfeld interviews a variety of people, from religious figures to assassins, about the meaning of revenge. The heart of the book, though, is her own journey to find the man who pulled the trigger. First she locates his family and learns vivid details about his life--he was a standout in his public-relations course at the University of Bethlehem. Blumenfeld's own emotions aren't far from the surface of this narrative. When she meets the shooter's own father, for instance, she asks herself: "Am I supposed to shoot him now?" Finally she begins a creepy correspondence with the gunman, who is in prison. Their letters back and forth are oddly compelling--at first the shooter doesn't know her real identity, though she eventually reveals it. In the end, Blumenfeld says her quest helped her find hope in a dangerous world, even as the final words of her book reflect upon September 11 and its immediate aftermath, when so many other Americans longed for their own vengeance. --John Miller
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
In 2003, "A Reader" Dared to Spew Hateful Radical Left Rhetoric. Let Me Show You the Folly of that Exercise.:
You fool; you insensitive--no, malevolently cruel fool: You can wax philosophic and even have a point. But there are times when such an intellectual exercise is inhumane to the extreme. This woman is writing about something intensely personal, about a loved one who was targeted for death. Your dragging politics into this is ugly and self-centered. Yes, YOU are self-centered and self-righteous, not the author. You are also half-baked; you didn't even read the summary of the book right here on Amazon. You... more info
interesting but very flawed:
Despite the fascinating interviews with vengeful and forgiving victims and with remarkable authorities, I almost dropped this halfway through, because Blumenfeld's drama-queen personality and self-indulgent writing style were getting hard to take; ultimately the book did not ring true for me. I stuck with it partly hoping to see the author (and her mother) get their come-uppance (hmmm...reader's revenge?). I felt truly sorry for her father (diminished more by her portrayal than by the shooter's action), and... more info
Revenge - A Story of Hope:
Researched info. and ideas on taking revenge.
Makes one sit back and think.
Trouble putting the book down because I had to find out what was going to happen. Yes, suspensful!
A good book to read for anyone. If one is feeling revengeful, it would be helpful to read this book.
Excellent insights into a very complex problem:
I really enjoyed this touching narrative. The insights into a Palestinian family were great and the reader learns a lot about the best of Arab culture. We also learned about Jewish culture as well and it's strong points. Laura did something unprecendented and her story is superb. I do think Laura is a little too self-centered. My experience is that peace comes from being able to put yourself in others shoes and showing genuine empathy ( not sympathy ). I would have liked to see Laura show she can... more info
